Basque chorizo

We eat a lot of chorizo around here. It's almost entirely the Spanish-style stuff, which hard, dry, and deep red. There's a lot of Mexican chorizo around here as well although we virtually never buy it - it's just too greasy for our taste. We recently came across a third variety at a place here that makes their own sausages. It was called "Basque chorizo" and seemed to occupy a middle ground between the Mexican and Spanish types. It's lighter colored, larger in diameter, and less dry than the Spanish type. It's firmer and less greasy than the Mexican type. It ended up in a chowder I made a couple of evenings ago and it was delicious.

So, anyone know much about this stuff? I've googled around a bit but have yet to find out if this is an authentic third way of making chorizo or just something the local sausage guy dreamed up.

Where is Sacramento do you buy it Mike? Our son works for Sourthern Wine and Spirits and he gets around a lot. I'd like to see if he can pick up some for me.

[Robin Garr]

I can tell you that the Brass Rail Pizzeria in Boise, Idaho, made a Basque chorizo pizza back in the day ('70s), probably because Basque-Americans were fairly commonplace in that part of the world, the descendants of Basque immigrant sheepherders. I think Jay Amyx, the mayor of Boise at the time, was of Basque origin.

But beyond that, I dunno. I was a kid. It tasted like sausage to me. It might have been spicy. It might have been lamb. I'm not helping much, am I?

Karen -

We bought ours at Morant's on Franklin Blvd.

Robin -

I agree, in a way - it's more of a generic sausage than either the Mexican or Spanish versions (or at least the one we had was).

My local butcher does not sell Basque chorizo but he does sell Colombian chorizo. Don't know the difference but the visual description matches yours.

I know there is also a Portuguese variant, chouriço, which I've heard said "shereess", that is more meaty/smoky, less spicy, and, strangely, available in certain parts of New England where Portuguese immigrants settled.

Yeah, I've also wondered whether there are differences. In northeastern Nevada I sometimes buy "Falls" brand (made in Twin Falls, Idaho) Basque chorizo. It doesn't seem much different than the Mexican chorizo of S. California--maybe a different pepper, more like Aleppo. But as Robin points out, there are many people of Basque descent in the area. Too bad my best Basque-descent friend doesn't eat Basque food--"instant heart attack"--and claims not to have eaten sausage. I don't believe her! So I look forward to seeing what info this thread may reveal.

One thing's for sure, though: Even Falls brand Basque chorizo grilled with pasilla chiles and onions over rice goes down very well with Txacoli. I'm typing this as the rain snow mix is beating down--Oh, how I miss summer!

Two Portuguese sausages--chourico and linguica--are readily available in most supermarkets in eastern Massachusetts and southern New Hampshire.

-Paul W.

Two Portuguese sausages--chourico and linguica--are readily available in most supermarkets in eastern Massachusetts and southern New Hampshire.

-Paul W.

And the former is a nice dry version like you want, at least if it is the same chourico as we get here in Vancouver.

I agree that swimming in orange coloured grease is not how I want my food to be, so I don't touch the Mexican version either. The Portuguese version requres a bit of oil in the pan, it is so lean.

Two Portuguese sausages--chourico and linguica--are readily available in most supermarkets in eastern Massachusetts and southern New Hampshire.

-Paul W.

We use 'em both regularly, and did when we lived halfway up the coast of Maine as well. They have a wide distribution.

Reno has a robust Basque community. I called one of the local Basque restaurants. Apparently they have Basque chorizo on their menu. They told me it is basically chorizo with "Basque spices". I should try it next time. There are also 2 suppliers in Reno where you can buy 10 lb bags of Basque chorizo.